Our story
Text by Vincent Wronski – Co-founder of BandWerk
Our story
Text by Vincent Wronski – Co-founder of BandWerk
The story of BandWerk begins in April 2015 in a lecture hall at the LMU in Munich. The content of the lecture – if I remember correctly, on the topic of geophysical data analysis – was, however, irrelevant at that moment.
The first generation of the Apple Watch celebrated its official market launch in the Apple online store and I knew that I had to be quick to get my hands on it as soon as it went on sale. I quickly decided on the right case (aluminum, 42 mm), but choosing the strap was less easy. It had to be a leather strap, but the simple real leather strap from Apple cost a whopping €169 at the time, which was too much for me.
I had been fascinated by mechanical watches since I was at school, and by now I had a modest collection of various vintage watches, all with high-quality leather straps made in Germany.
This is exactly what I need for my new Apple Watch.
The idea
The idea
Over the next few days, the idea stuck with me and the thought that I was probably not the only Apple Watch owner who wanted a high-quality leather strap for it seemed obvious.
The following months flew by: I found a local partner to help me produce the bracelets, set up a simple web shop and was finally able to officially present the first bracelets in November 2015.
The first steps
First steps
The first successes were not long in coming: the industry blog iPhone Ticker mentioned BandWerk in an article and the first real orders came in. An incredible feeling!
The initial euphoria didn't last long, however, because the harsh reality of the e-commerce business quickly caught up with me. Unfortunately, it doesn't just consist of cool products and an exciting presentation, but above all of accounting, taxes, negotiations and sales. All things I had no idea about.
BandWerk becomes a real company
BandWerk becomes a real company
So I urgently needed support. Through our mutual friend Kevin (who had occasionally helped me in production up until then and now heads BandWerk sales), I met Jonas, who, through his studies in business administration, brought with him exactly the components that I was still missing.
Jonas helped me turn my hobby project into a real company, took care of all the bureaucratic stuff from then on and built a great team with me.
Our innovations
Our innovations
The next major success came a little later with the launch of our first special edition Ferry Porsche. The metallic blue bracelet made from the leather of a 1974 Porsche 911 delighted customers all over the world.
More special editions were soon to follow, all of which were created in collaboration with Boris Pankiewicz's car upholstery shop. Boris has been a constant at BandWerk for over three years now, and we can always rely on him.
We are expanding the product range
We are expanding the product range
Since 2020, BandWerk no longer just stands for great bracelets: Our portfolio now includes iPhone cases, MagSafe wallets, AirPods cases and much more. All products made from high-quality materials that are produced to the highest standards in Germany and Italy.
Our affinity for Apple products remains the focus. With our accessories, we combine elaborate European craftsmanship with innovative products from California.
Now, after six years, our team has grown to over 10 people. A team that works hard together to combine German craftsmanship with innovative and modern products.
So that you can enjoy them for a long time, we create tech accessories that last longer than the product they are intended for. If, for example, you decide to get a new Apple Watch, we will be happy to change the clasp and adapters of your strap free of charge so that it continues to fit the case of your new watch. We are convinced that in this way we can create a culture in which leather products are cared for and looked after, and the material is respected. Because BandWerk does not stand for fast fashion or short-lived fads, but for the appreciation of unique resources.
We look back with pride on the past six years and what we have achieved so far, and we are setting ourselves at least the same standards for the years to come. We have ambitious goals and hope to continue to impress you with innovations and attention to detail in the future.